Grab your camera to share some high-tide photos

With extreme high tides coming over the next few days, it may be
a good time to shoot some photos of the shoreline, as suggested by
the Washington
Department of Ecology in a news release. Some of the highest
tides of the year will be visible during daylight hours.

Last year about this time,
the high tide at the mouth of Gorst Creek comes close to reaching
Toys Topless in Gorst.Photo by Meegan M. Reid, Kitsap Sun

The idea of observing shoreline areas during extreme tides is
part of an effort to make people aware of climate change, which is
expected to cause extreme tides to become more extreme. By 2050,
climate models suggest that we could see water levels about six
inches higher for the same tidal cycles, according to Ted
Sturdivant, director of Ecology. Here’s his statement:

“Understanding what climate change will mean to our environment
is a key to making Washington climate-smart, and these very high
tides are like a window into the future.

“As sea level rises in the years to come, many of our shorelines
— including those in our most populated areas — are very likely to
be affected. By inviting the public to help us document the effects
of higher water levels during king tides, we are laying the
groundwork to help communities identify those areas most vulnerable
to coastal flooding.

“This work will help us anticipate what Washington communities
can expect along much of our state’s thousands of miles of tidal
coastline.”

“The idea of observing shoreline areas during extreme tides is part of an effort to make people aware of climate change.” Perhaps, but it is far more likely that the DOE wants to make people afraid today of a tidal norm that may evolve slowly over decades. When people are afraid, they are willing to make rash decisions to support the super heroes who promise to save them (politicians or, in this case, state agencies facing budget cuts). As the tides rise, all of civilization will be forced to make changes, but there’s no need to panic.

One wonders why the DOE never mentions that the gravitational pull of the Moon, the cause of tides in the first place, is lessening as the Moon moves farther away from the Earth. Maybe it’s because it’s is only moving at the rate of about 1 inch per year and the change won’t be apparent to anyone for a LONG time.